New Orleans teams meet in volleyball final

Dominican and Mount Carmel will face each other to decide the LHSAA Division I volleyball state championship. The all-New Orleans matchup follows Friday's semifinal rounds at the Cajundome in Lafayette, where both teams secured their spots through distinct performances against lower-seeded opponents.

The No. 3 seed Dominican defeated No. 2 seed Mandeville in four sets, with final scores of 25-22, 25-22, 20-25, and 25-23. The top-seeded Mount Carmel swept No. 12 seed Northshore in straight sets, winning 25-19, 25-9, and 25-19. These results set the stage for the sixth state championship meeting between the two New Orleans programs, with their last such encounter occurring in 2023.

Dominican's victory over Mandeville hinged on a late surge in the final set. Coach Jessica Chatellier noted that the team struggled in the third set, allowing Mandeville to score six consecutive points. Senior Kaitlyn Byrd's performance helped shift the momentum. Chatellier recalled telling Byrd to be a fighter after the senior looked determined to continue the season. Byrd recorded 12 kills, matching the total for sophomore Olivia Anderson.

Eighth-grader Elle Diley led the Dominican offense with 13 kills and four blocks. Ella Baker provided 42 assists and four aces, while Aurore Tortorich and Addison Shannon combined for 65 digs. Anderson broke a 23-all tie in the fourth set, and Hadley Bonifacic sealed the win with a kill that deflected off a Mandeville blocker and landed out of bounds. Byrd stated that the team knew they could close the match in the final set.

Mandeville coach Danny Tullis expressed pride in his team's effort, noting they could have lost easily after falling behind 0-2. Mikaela Duncan led Mandeville with 15 kills and 29 digs, while freshman Chloe Carter added 14 kills and three blocks. The loss marks a setback for a team that pushed the No. 3 seed to the brink of elimination.

Mount Carmel's advancement represents a personal milestone for coach Ashley Miller, who is in her first season back at her alma mater. Miller described reaching the state championship in her first year returning as a dream come true. Lila Franovich led the team with 13 kills, and Sarah Clement contributed 12 kills, two blocks, two aces, and 25 assists. Gabrielle Locascio recorded six blocks, and Ali Offner finished with 28 digs.

Locascio attributed the team's success to a specific game plan regarding blocking and hitting locations. The two teams split their regular season meetings this year, with Dominican winning the first contest in five sets at Mount Carmel and Mount Carmel sweeping the return match at Dominican. Mount Carmel holds a three-game lead in the first three state championship meetings between the schools, while Dominican won the most recent two.